Ever considered reserving the Japanese & Oriental Specific? Nicely, if that’s you, then ensure to learn our full lowdown on what it’s prefer to journey on the Japanese & Oriental Specific on a visit via Malaysia, from Singapore. The Japanese & Oriental Specific is a fully superb practice to expertise and excellent for a visit round Malaysia.
Not solely will you expertise the great thing about locations inside Malaysia, however you’ll additionally get to expertise the world-class service and great thing about the practice’s carriages. It’s actually unimaginable.


So, if you happen to’re pondering of reserving a spot on board this unimaginable practice, learn on! We need to provide the full lowdown on what to anticipate, when to guide, what to do and components we hadn’t considered earlier than reserving our journey on the Japanese & Oriental Specific.
Okay, so let’s begin with locations. We took the practice from Singapore. That is the place to begin for any journey on the Japanese & Oriental Specific. You really board on the border station between Singapore and Malaysia at Woodlands Practice Station (and checkpoint). That is the place you’ll undertake immigration checks earlier than boarding your journey on this iconic practice.
Pre-departure logistics for the Japanese & Oriental Specific


Now, one of many nice issues about Belmond, in our expertise, is that they consider every little thing for you. Each element is taken into account, straightforward and seamless.
That is even true earlier than we boarded the practice. As an example, the onboard concierge known as us a couple of month earlier than our journey to organise particular excursions and guide any Dior Spa providers onboard. We did all this prematurely, and it helped as sure experiences (particularly the Spa) have restricted availability.
The place do you board the Japanese & Oriental Specific?


Additionally, as we have been staying in Singapore (after flying from London) just a few days earlier than our journey, the crew organised a non-public pickup from our resort to Woodlands Practice checkpoint (Google Maps hyperlink), the place the Japanese and Oriental Specific departs. It was superb and really easy.
After all, you do pay a premium for all of this, but it surely’s actually value it.
The switch was round 25 minutes from downtown Singapore, and inside no time in any respect, we have been whisked via Malaysian immigration and onto the station platform. Right here, we have been greeted by the superb Japanese & Oriental Specific crew – all ready for us to reach. It felt so particular.
What I like most in regards to the employees on board the Japanese & Oriental Specific is that they’re all so welcoming and heat. There’s no stuffiness or something like that. Everyone seems to be so pleasant and useful.
Baggage onboard the Japanese & Oriental Specific


Now, one phrase of recommendation in relation to baggage, the cabins are cosy – as you’d anticipate from any practice journey. To make issues simpler, the Japanese & Oriental Specific practice crew will retailer your bigger baggage in a safe cabin, which you’ll retrieve upon getting completed your journey onboard.
This fashion, you possibly can take a smaller bag onto the practice itself and have way more room within the cabin. So, if you happen to’re travelling internationally to Singapore, ensure to take a small, hand luggage-style bag you possibly can tackle board the practice too.
What are the sleeping cabins like on the Japanese & Oriental Specific?


That is the place the magic actually occurs! As you board the Japanese & Oriental Specific, you’re taken to your cabin by your butler. They are going to be with you each step of the way in which in your journey.


Now, with the Japanese & Oriental Specific, there are three bookable cabins you possibly can select from. The Pullman Cabin, State Cabin and the Presidential Suite – with the value rising, relying on which cabin you select. The Pullman Cabin is the smallest of the cabins, with bunk-style beds and an ensuite bathe room. Subsequent, the one we booked is the State Cabin. This has two convertible single beds that remodel into sofas for lounging within the daytime. Lastly, the Presidential Suite is the biggest of all of the cabins.


With every of the rooms, the beds and remade each single evening (and put away) by your Butler while you’re having fun with breakfast. There’s no problem, and clear, crisp sheets and beds are ready for you when you end dinner within the evenings.
Communal carriages on board the Japanese & Oriental Specific




Whatever the cabin class you guide, you might have free rein of the entire practice. Every particular person can take pleasure in each side of the Japanese & Oriental Specific. So, don’t fear about having to guide a sure class of room and pondering you would possibly miss out on sure features of the practice.
After settling in, unpacking and having fun with some bubbles, you’ll get to wander across the practice for about 60 minutes earlier than departure to Malaysia. We took this chance to get our bearings and actually perceive the structure of the cabin.
Statement Automobile






Our State cabin was proper subsequent to the Statement Automobile behind the practice. This was a welcome deal with as we have been proper subsequent to the cocktail bar, lounge and out of doors statement deck, which we visited a number of occasions a day.


It’s an incredible place to come back within the night for a quieter drink, and it’s such a peaceable space of the practice. Plus, the views are superb as you journey via Malaysia.
Malaya & Adisorn Automobiles






These are the 2 restaurant automobiles onboard the Japanese & Oriental Specific. All through your journey on the Japanese & Oriental Specific, you’ll dine in each of those carriages, in numerous seats and carriages at numerous mealtimes. There are seats for 2 individuals and seats for 4 individuals.








Every day, for breakfast, lunch and dinner, you can be given a desk alongside numerous different travellers onboard. It’s an effective way to make buddies, and actually, by the tip of the journey, each visitor is aware of everybody, and it’s like one massive buddies group – which we beloved.












Although, don’t fret if you happen to don’t fancy a chat. You’ll be able to at all times ask to take a seat on the two-seater tables if it fits you greatest.
The Piano Automobile






That is one other gem of a carriage that you just’ll frequent many occasions while you journey on the Japanese & Oriental Specific. Within the daytime, the Piano Automobile Bar is open and affords each kind of cocktail, champagne and scorching drinks you possibly can ever need. Plus, you possibly can have issues like afternoon tea and snacks once you board the practice after your each day excursions.
Additionally, within the night, you’ll have reside musicians performing, singing and entertaining within the carriage. It’s so beautiful, and we regularly stayed right here till the wee hours of the morning.
Dior Spa Automobile




The Dior Spa has a devoted carriage onboard the Japanese & Oriental Specific, together with a small store promoting Japanese & Oriental Specific merchandise. On the store, you should purchase crockery, champagne flutes, tiffin packing containers and different gadgets you employ all through your journey onboard the practice.
Naturally, we purchased just a few issues to take again to London, together with a tiffin field and the champagne flutes. Although I’d say to purchase your souvenirs early in your journey, they have a tendency to promote out, and there may be a lot much less availability because the tour attracts to an in depth.




The Dior Spa has two spa rooms, each of which we used and beloved. We booked in for a Dior therapeutic massage within the night after a day exploring Langkawi, and it was so beautiful. The rooms are beautiful, and it’s so surreal having a therapeutic massage as you’re travelling via Malaysia by practice.
Which journey must you journey on the Japanese & Oriental Specific?




That is completely private to every traveller. There’s are vary of seasonal journeys, particular focus journeys and routes that exhibit among the greatest issues in Malaysia itself. We selected to guide the ‘Essence of Malaysia‘ journey. This took in locations like Langkawi, Penang and the historic metropolis of Ipoh alongside the way in which. We beloved it.


Now, remember that costs and availability can differ enormously relying on seasonality. Guide nicely prematurely to get the only option as we observed fairly just a few of the dates promote out.
Are Excursions included once you journey on the Japanese & Oriental Specific?






The straightforward reply is sure! You’ve paid a premium to expertise the Japanese & Oriental Specific, and all excursions are included within the value. Better of all, there are completely different excursions at every cease alongside the way in which. Like I mentioned earlier than, the onboard concierge will name and electronic mail you on the subject of the each day excursions to allow them to guide your house earlier than you board the practice.








Every of the excursions is completely different, that means that there actually is one thing for everybody. From excursions, seaside days, cooking courses, you title it – they’ve a heap to select from.
Is it tough to sleep on the Japanese & Oriental Specific?




Truthfully, no. The one slight factor I’d say is that if you happen to’re a lightweight sleeper, you might get up a bit of extra within the evening. Na1turally, you’re travelling by practice and this could transfer round as you journey via Malaysia. Noise was by no means a problem for us, and our cabin was at all times tremendous quiet.
For us, we have been fairly drained as soon as we completed our journey on the Japanese & Oriental Specific. The principle purpose was that we have been burning the candle at each ends and had whole FOMO on all of the amazingness that’s the Japanese & Oriental Specific practice. This meant we had fairly late nights and early mornings… however this was all our personal doing.
Are there different trains to take?








Yeah! Don’t overlook you might have Belmond’s Orient Specific (in mainland Europe), the brand new Britannic Explorer and British Pullman (England and Wales), the Royal Scotsman (Scotland), the Andean Explorer and Hiram Bingham practice (in Peru). All of those provide barely completely different packages, from day journeys to bigger journeys.